Our 6 year old female domestic short hair cat Harley is currently experiencing what appears to be post surgery pain. Harley had a rear right leg amputation from a cancerous tumor and is flipping out (growing, howling, flipping, backing up, rolling over) with episodes of pain that appear out of nowhere for no reason, out of a dead sleep or not and while she’s on her medication (Gabepentin, Onsior & Buprenex). We recently took her off Buprenex. They are very intense, happen in series of three or more and we feel helpless. It’s been 7 days today and the episodes continue. She is doing great otherwise, walking, eating, drinking and using the litter box.
Is there anything you learned that would help us or do you think each situation is different? We don’t really have any good advice from our Vet who is a expert surgeon in this field. Medication and time is the only thing we know at the moment. It’s tough because she cannot be left alone in fear she will hurt herself, even though we have her in a large dog cage with plenty of room (wall padding and all). We let her out of her cage for a short period of time several times a day to stretch, eat, drink and use the litter but these episodes that are seizure-like continue. Will these episodes continue or go away? Is this common with this type of surgery for cats? How long will they continue? Is this nerve pain, muscle spasm, phantom leg pain or medication side affects? Should we not let her out of he cage during the day fearing she is over doing it?
Your responses are greatlyy appreciated.
Thank you . . . desperate Tripawd Mommy and Daddy.